How do I re-lanolise wool?

[Macaroon]

I'm about ready to make a few bits and pieces of clothing from wool and felt, and the washing/felting/tightening the weave stuff has removed any trace of the natural oils that would once have been present. I know there are ways to do this, but can't seem to find anything comprehensive using the search engine of my choice.............I thought Big Swede was about to tell all in the Jacshirt sew-along but that seems to have died a death............or at least faded from view. Any help or info much appreciated...............atb mac

 

[DavidJT]

There are quite a few threads on here about it - I think Toddy explained how to do it. Quick search should be fruitful.

You can buy it here...

http://www.baldwins.co.uk/herbs/other-products/baldwins-lanolin

 

[treadlightly]

Here's something Toddy posted here some time ago which I kept. I've followed it and it works.

If you prefer to use real lanolin to reproof wool then the method is to make up a soapy water solution with about 4-5 litres of luke warm water and either 2 tablespoons of soap flakes or pure soap rubbed up into a good lather. Take out a little in a cleaned jam jar and add a level tablespoonful of the pure lanolin. Heat in ten second bursts in the microwave until the lanolin has melted. Pour this back into the soapy water. The water should go very milky looking. Soak your just washed and still damp swanni or jumper or bushshirt or cloak in this mixture for at least an hour though longer is more effective. Move it around pretty frequently or add more lukewarm water. Finally squeeze out excess water and hang to dry.
Lanolin last cost me £6 for 500g from the local chemist. That's a lot of waterproofing

 

[Macaroon]

I'm constantly amazed by how much I learn on this forum, and how quickly the responses come - a true wealth of knowledge..............Thankyou..............atb mac

 

[treadlightly]

A pleasure to pass on the info kindly provided by Toddy.

 

[Chris the Cat]

No rinsing then ? ( thinking of the soap in the mix)
Cheers.

Chris

 

[treadlightly]

No rinsing then ? ( thinking of the soap in the mix)
Cheers.

Chris

I did it the way the instructions told me using soap flakes which did not form much of a lather. The solution went milky as described. No, I didn't rinse it out with water at the end. I've used this method on a couple of pairs of wool trousers and found the end result to be fine. I suppose you could rinse at the end though...

 

[Chris the Cat]

Cheers for that.

C.

 

[Toddy]

Doesn't need rinsing. There's very little soap in the water anyway, it's just to help the lanolin actually get to the wool. Wool is naturally slightly water repellant. Besides, real soap is mostly fat, and that's what you really want to add to the waterproofing. It doesn't 'coat' the wool like a plastic would, it does still let it breathe.

atb,
Toddy

 

[Macaroon]

I've just done a pair of wool trousers using the suggested method, without rinsing. I did them first 3 days ago and yesterday they had dried and felt really good I was very pleased..............I was telling the wife of one of my near neighbours what I'd done and she said that the forestry and charcoal men used to always do this to woolen clothes at the end of the summer, ready for the wet weather of autumn/winter. The method was precisely the same, but she was adamant that they always did the whole thing twice through and remembers this as being an important part of it - although she can't remember why this was so;( she's 93 )! So I've done them again and they're not quite dry, but they do feel very soft and supple, different to the once only. I'll post again when I've worn them and report what I find..................atb mac